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Android Now Constantly Verifies Apps to Make Your Device Extra Secure

Back in February, Google announced that it would soon rollout an update to expand the way it scans apps on your Android devices for security purposes. As of this morning, that new layer of protection is now live for all Android users. Google will now continually check your Android devices to make sure that all apps are behaving in a safe manner, even after the initial install.

For those not familiar, we’re talking about the “Verify Apps” setting that is located in your Security settings. With this option enabled, your phone will warn you if you install an app that is being sideloaded or isn’t from Google Play. If Google decides that the app could be harmful, it will either tell you that it could be harmful or block installation.

You can see those two screens below:

Google mentioned that its “Verify apps” feature scanned over 4 billion apps, a number that will only increase dramatically now that they will be continually monitoring app behavior.

I like this but the problem is that it effects any apps I have either downloaded from Amazon App Store or I had side loaded because they are no longer available ie (nesoid etc) But for the masses this is a good idea and a great PR.

JSo

So does this mean if I have a batch restore of apps in Titanium Backup, it’s now going to show a warning for each app that I have to physically allow before installing it? This is the reason I always turn the setting off. Or is the option still there to turn it off?

turdbogls

it just asks once (with the pro key) for the first one and that is it.

JSo

Ok. Thanks for clearing that up

Abhijeet Mishra

Are we actually talking about that Settings option, or the Verify Apps option in Google Settings app?

mcdonsco

….ummm…never mind.

Franklin Ramsey

What are you referring to? The Title? Try reading it again.

mcdonsco

Foot in mouth…guess I’m the one that needs more (less?) coffee…thanks for that whack over the head!

Franklin Ramsey

Sure thing! Anytime!

TSON1

…Is there no way to force installation if they block it? That’s really, really dumb. I miss the Z4Root days

moelsen8

i imagine you can just turn off “Verify Apps” in the settings to allow installation of one it tries to block. but i’m curious to know this as well.

..z4root was awesome!

Brandon Miller

I believe this is correct. You’d have to just uncheck the “Verify Apps” box in your security settings.

And after installing the app, if you turn on “verify Apps”, will it uninstall the app, saying “dangerous app found and deleted”?

turdbogls

yeah, clicking a button to root my phone was awesome (OG Droid), but i could see how something like that could and should not be used by some people.

http://comic-book-nerd.blogspot.com/ SJ Mitchell

This is awesome. There are some 3rd party apps I’ve been wanting to check out but was too afraid to because of the risk involved. Has any testing been done to determine if it always warns against 3rd party apps being side-loaded or just the ones that are potentially harmful?

Franklin Ramsey

I was sort of wondering the same thing.

Brandon Miller

Just ones that are potentially harmful. I’ve always had “Verify Apps” on and have yet to receive these warnings when side-loading 3rd party apps.

EDIT: Maybe I’m wrong and just haven’t noticed… hmmm.

FknTwizted

I get it every time I install an app from Amazon App Store. That’s why I had to turn it off.

http://comic-book-nerd.blogspot.com/ SJ Mitchell

Yeah see I don’t want to get that because then it’s just a “we’re warning you because it’s not a Google Play app”. I don’t want a setting that’s going to cry wolf with every app I download. How can I possibly tell good from bad at that point?

I haven’t faced this. I install from Amazon App Store as well as sideload apks. I never got the warning from “verify apps”. popping warning for every non-playstore app doesn’t make sense to begin with. I believe it warns only if the app has malware signature / behaves oddly.

FknTwizted

I had it blocking updates from Amazon.. However, I have had this off since it initially launched so they may have come across that issue and solved it.

S9779

Thanks Google. We can still be friends

Jack March

Screenshot is a Nexus 5 running Jelly Bean, Android team professionalism at its finest!

Chris

Not a big deal… seriously who cares!

Jack March

Sorry, did I seem like I cared? It was just an observation.

Chris

Well now seems to be an observation seeing as how you edited the original text… nice!

Jack March

I edited it before you replied actually, here’s the original text if you’re bothered: “Screenshot is a Nexus 5 running Jelly Bean, if that’s an official Google image then someone made a bit of a fuckup”, still an observation.

zepfloyd

Yes! How dare they use a screenshot displaying the version of Android most users are running!

Eric R.

It’s actually a Nexus 4, if you look at the resolution of it. 768×1280

Pedro

No, that’s a Nexus 5.

Eric R.

Oh, I was looking at the screenshot

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